Gary Smith received his PhD in Economics from Yale University and taught there for seven years. He is the Fletcher Jones Professor of Economics at Pomona College in Claremont, California. This is his first book for general readers.
A very entertaining book about a very serious problem. We deceive
ourselves all the time with statistics, and it is time we wised up
-- Robert J. Shiller, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and
author of Irrational Exuberance
Gary Smith is brilliant when it comes to writing lively and
understandable statistical analysis, and Standard Deviations is his
best work to date. It joins Darrell Huff's How to Lie With
Statistics as a 'must read' classic in the field' -- Woody
Studenmund, Laurence de Rycke Professor of Economics, Occidental
College
It's entertaining; it's gossipy; it's insightful; it's destined to
be a classic. Based on a lifetime of experience unravelling the
methodical blunders that remain all too frequent, this book
communicates Gary Smith's wisdom about how not to do a data
analysis. Smith's engaging rendering of countless painful mistakes
will help readers avoid the pitfalls far better than merely
mastering theorems -- Edward E. Leamer, Chauncey J. Medberry
Professor, UCLA
Shows in compelling fashion why humans are so susceptible to the
misuse of statistical evidence and why this matters. I know of no
other book that explains important concepts such as selection bias
in such an entertaining and memorable manner -- Richard J. Murnane,
Thompson Professor of Education and Society, Harvard Graduate
School of Education
Both a statement of principles for doing statistical inference
correctly and a practical guide for interpreting the (supposedly)
data-based inferences other people have drawn. The book is cleverly
written and engaging to read, full of concrete examples that make
clear not just what Smith is saying but why it matters. Readers
will discover that lots of what they thought they'd learned is
wrong, and they'll understand why -- Benjamin M. Friedman, William
Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy, Harvard University
Standard Deviations will teach you how not to be deceived by lies
masquerading as statistics. Written in an entertaining style with
contemporary examples, this book should appeal to everyone, whether
interested in marriages or mortgages, the wealth of your family, or
the health of the economy. This should be required reading for
everyone living in this age of (too much?) information -- Arthur
Benjamin, Professor of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College and author
of Secrets of Mental Math
Statistical reasoning is the most used and abused form of rhetoric
in the field of finance. Standard Deviations is an approachable and
effective means to arm oneself against the onslaught statistical
hyperbole in our modern age. Professor Smith has done us all a
tremendous service -- Bryan White, Managing Director, BlackRock,
Inc.
Gary Smith reveals in this deeply insightful skeptical analysis of
the use and abuse of statistics, the numbers never just speak for
themselves... His catalogue of mistakes we all make - including and
especially scientists - should be memorized by every citizen... and
member of Congress -- Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic and
columnist for Scientific American
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